How to tame a Bulbdog in Ark: Survival Evolved

The Bulbdog in Ark: Survival Evolved is both adorable and somewhat grotesque. This four-legged, small creature is found plodding around in starter areas on some maps and can be tamed by survivors or used as a source of meat or hide. However, the Bulbdog, while mostly an unassuming creature, does have a vital purpose to Survivors beyond the harvestable parts it has. This guide will detail where to find the Bulbdog, what it’s used for, and how to tame it in Ark: Survival Evolved.

What the Bulbdog does in Ark: Survival Evolved

The Bulbdog falls under the shoulder-pet class in Ark: Survival Evolved. This means that the Bulbdog is designed to sit on your shoulder, much like the Featherlight, Sinomacrops, or Fjordhawk. However, as it sits on your shoulder, it offers utility to your Survivor directly. The Bulbdog is an illumination or light pet, which is a vital creature if you’re playing on the Aberration map. The light emitted by the Bulbdog is one of the only ways to keep the Nameless away and also weaken the mighty Reapers if you’re battling them.

However, there is a downside to the Bulbdog’s light: it will attract Seekers, which will attack your player, and they’ll grow much stronger in the light than before. 

Related: How to tame an Achatina in Ark: Survival Evolved

Where to find the Bulbdog in Ark: Survival Evolved

The Bulbdog is found only in areas that have an Aberration landscape. They are generally found throughout the area, and there are no issues with finding them as they’re not fast-moving. They are limited to the following maps:

• Aberration
• Valguero
• Genesis
• Genesis Part 2
• Fjordur

To tame the Bulbdog, you’ll need the following items. These items are not difficult to find, and you’ll not need too many of them:

• Plant Species Z, for a level 150 Bulbdog on a 1x Taming Speed map, you’ll need 5 Seeds. Alternatively, you can use Aquatic Mushrooms, Cooking Lamb Chops, or Cooked Prime Meat. You can use a Sanguine Elixir to boost the taming by 30% once off.

How to tame the Bulbdog in Ark: Survival Evolved

The Bulbdog is a Passive Tame. This means you’ll be unable to tame it if you knock it out. Rather, you’ll need to place your chosen taming food into the last slot of your Hotbar. Next, you’ll need to approach the Bulbdog, a non-aggressive creature that won’t attack or flee from you. Once you’re close enough, you need to press your interact key to feed the Bulbdog. This will start the taming process, and once they’re hungry enough, you can feed them again. Repeat this until the Bulbdog has been tamed successfully.